RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP) and Informa are joining forces to create the Tahaluf Partnership, which will help launch new exhibition brands in Saudi Arabia. The partnership will create large-scale events in 2023 and 2024 to serve key verticals in Saudi Arabia across technology, AI, food, pharmaceuticals, health and beauty, real estate, tourism, hospitality and healthcare. This initiative demonstrates that the Kingdom recognizes the value of international events as economic drivers in specific sectors.
The new partnership is part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify its economy and create high-value employment opportunities for Saudi citizens. It also replaces Informa’s existing operations in Saudi Arabia. It expects Tahaluf events to attract around 500,000 visitors annually by 2028.
“Major events can significantly boost the economy by providing market access, stimulating inward investment and generating international trade. We are honored to have extended our partnership with SAFCSP to create Tahaluf, and together we aim to create sustainable, world-class events in Saudi Arabia that will be an international showcase for key sectors of the Saudi economy, as well as contribute to a thriving events industry in the Kingdom. Our mission is to bring world-class events to the Kingdom and be a positive force in establishing Saudi Arabia as a global hub for events,” said Mike Champion, Regional Executive Vice President, Informa Markets.
It is said that Tahaluf will leverage Informa’s global expertise to create a world-class events sector in the Kingdom, which will further promote economic diversification, provide access to new markets for international businesses, attract foreign investment and support the modernization of business activity.
The Tahaluf Academy has also been established, which will provide an annual cohort of young Saudi professionals with the opportunity to gain hands-on training and international events experience through a series of rotations across Informa’s global operations.
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This is not the first time that SAFCSP and Informa have collaborated. For example, the two companies partnered to create the award-winning LEAP technology event in Riyadh. The February 2022 conference brought together over 100,000 attendees and over 700 exhibiting global technology companies.
Tahaluf will license Informa’s market-leading brands to launch a host of new B2B events, digital experiences and services in 2023 and beyond. Launches will include artificial intelligence event DeepFest, 6-9 February 2023; food and hospitality trade show Feast, 24-26 October 2023; beauty industry festival Cosmoprof Middle East; international real estate trade show Cityscape Global, 10-13 September 2023; and the Middle East edition of leading pharmaceutical brand CPHI Middle East, 15-17 January 2024.
“Saudi Arabia has hosted a growing portfolio of global events in recent years, and today, through Tahaluf, SAFCSP is investing to further elevate the Saudi events industry and the related creative and digital sectors,” said Faisal Al-Khamisi, Chairman of SAFCSP. “Informa has played a leading role in the events industry internationally, including pioneering digital, on-demand and data-driven experiences and leading sustainability initiatives across the sector. This expertise has helped launch successful events together in the past and will be invaluable in realizing the ambitious plans announced today. Tahaluf – the Arabic word for alliance – reflects the strength of the partnership between SAFCSP and Informa and our plans to work closely together in this next phase of developing world-class events for Saudi Arabia.”
Reach Faisal Al-Khamisi at info@safcsp.org.sa